


Skeksis Can Change

by It_doesnt_do_wood



Category: Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal Series - J.M. Lee, The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Gelfling, M/M, Redemption, Redemption AU, Skeksis - Freeform, skeksis can change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26105773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/It_doesnt_do_wood/pseuds/It_doesnt_do_wood
Summary: SkekTek conceptualizes some things
Relationships: eventual Skekok & Brea, skekGra & urGoh (Dark Crystal), skekGra/urGoh (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just thought of this little idea, I may continue it but idk! If I do it’ll have SkekGra and UrGoh in it as well as some cute stuff with Skekok and Brea.

“SkekTek! Strap in more gelfling! We need more essence!” The scientist bowed to his emperor, skittering off to his chambers. The calls of his brethren followed him out.

 _These fools._ He walked down the winding hallway. _They’ve got no respect! Don’t they know that I am the sole skeksis in all of Thra that might give them eternal life! You’d think they’d be more grateful._

His clawed feet clicked against the old cobblestone as the scientist entered his sanctuary. He took a deep breath, inhaling the comforting musty scent as his mechanical eye twitched.

”You are the only one who truly understands, aren’t you?” SkekTek gazed fondly at the small bird-like creature in the cage. It may not have been the freedom it desired, but it was the safest place he knew to keep them. He stroked the downy feathers along their head, humming as they chirped. The tiny wooden bars were feeble, casting tiny little shadows over his furry puffball. 

He remembered how he had almost lost his dear friend. The arrogance of the emperor. He growled and stride out of his safe haven down into the holding cells.

”Mindless brutes. They seek only to kill, to maim. They have no desire to understand the way of things!”

The holding cells were a grim place. Wailing and shouts of mercy echoed off the walls, the imprisoned gelfling-that were conscious-were utterly terrified. Some had given up completely, slumping into piles to try and enjoy what little comfort they could before their death. Others still had fight left in them, their tiny fists bruising against the metal bars.

SkekTek grimaced. He hated it all. Their shrill screams always annoyed him, stabbing at his ear holes and giving him a headache.

Finally, he could not bear it.

” _Quiet_!” All sound ceased. All the small gelfling looked up at him with wide eyes, trembling. The fighters backed into the others, still prepared to fight and protect but wary all the same.

”Poor gelfling, I regret to inform you that we need more essence.” Skektek walked around the room a couple times, surveying his choices.

There was the group of young warriors, standing tall and proud. They didn’t cower from his mechanical gaze.  
  
Then there was the elder gelfling. They did shake, but they had resolve. As he passed their cage, one stood and knocked their wooden cane upon the ground. The resounding noise made him hiss.

The last group were a pack of childlings, barely teens, barely old enough to understand but with just enough awareness to huddle in a corner and-

No. Not them. He didn’t know why, but they were not right for this. Maybe it was they way the bars cast frightful shadows across their tiny faces, or the way their eyes shined through the cracks in between, but not them.

SkekTek shook off the feeling in his chest, a horrible feeling that started to squeeze his heart all out of shape. He hurried past, choosing the group of elders.

 _They are older, surely their life experience will produce much more hearty and strong essence?_ He nodded to himself, rationalizing his choice.

The clanging keys caused the ruckus from before to start all over again. It didn’t annoy him as much now, probably because he knew he’d be gone from the room soon.

Or perhaps, because worse sounds awaited them all within moments from now.

He patiently led the old gelflings to the crystal, taking pity on them and helping them into their respective seats. The scientist locked them all in, expertly avoiding their eyes.

He cared not for the gelfling, but he knew if he made eye contact now his entire evening would be filled with that sight. The glossy eyes pleading for mercy.

 _Feh, filthy gelfling._ He shook his head once again, the light from his false eye bouncing around the room.

Just a few levers, a few dials, a few seconds and he could return to studying his beloved specimen.

But he felt horrible. There was a sickness in his stomach. Something about this wasn’t sitting well with him. Perhaps the stew he had earlier had gone bad? No, It wasn’t that. SkekVar was still fine, and skekSil kept up as well as usual when they were discussing the current situation with the emperor.

This was something else. SkekTek sighed and stroked a claw over his little friend’s face again. It was a similar feeling to when the emperor had almost squished his bird.

It was an angry feeling. It made his beak pull back into a snarl and his claws itch. It made him want to fight his way through something, anything. Even the other skeksis.

_Heresy! Blasphemous! Such vile thoughts will not help me get essence! The emperor awaits._

But even as he prepped the crystal, his mind spun the thought out even more as the elder gelfling struggled feeble against their bonds.

In that damp place, SkekTek was gone from it. Stuck in his own mind and thoughts. He barely registered when the crystal clicked into place and the giant claws held it toward the seats where the newest editions of essence would come from.

He snarled at his own disgusting feelings and grabbed hold of the final lever. _This is ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous, comparing gelfling to my dear little friend? Preposterous! There isn’t a remote similarity between them. Why, if his friend were to die he would-_

He froze. If his friend died, what would he do? Rebel? Fight back? No, he didn’t suppose he would. Not like the gelfling could. Not like the fighters in the holding cells down the hall could. Not like the elders with their silent and persistent protest, like the ones with heads held high in the face of the darkened crystal.

Not like the small childlings, the shadows cast over their tiny faces. Looking all together much to similar to his tiny friend.

”Don’t torment us, Skeksis. Give us our death. Feed us to your brethren.” The scientist gawked at the gravelly voice.

”But-You’re about to die! Why rush the one who will kill you?” His gloved hand trembled as he tried to force it down, trying to move the lever along with it.

”We have lived long, we have seen enough of Thra. The others have a chance of survival. We are old and slow, we never had a chance.” The old voice was filled with sorrow, but contentment.

 _They went willingly?_ The sick feeling of wrongness came back into his stomach, for that is what it was. Wrongness, disgust, regret. Guilt.

The old one’s words struck a chord within him. Slow? Useless? Never had a chance? Weren’t those the same words the other Skeksis used to describe him? The runt, the weakling. Never strong enough to carry any true responsibility on his back.

He snarled and finally got his hand moving. The helpers gasped as they heard clicking. Preparing for their demise, but it never came.

The crystal was taken back up to the crystal viewing room. SkekTek paced around for a few moments, absentmindedly turning the machine off as he thought.

”Slaves! I require your aid.” They two came rushing in, mumbling around their sewn mouths. He grabbed one by the shoulder, grabbing a knife from a nearby desk.

They whimpered under his hand, their face screwing up in fear. He made a quick but careful slash across their mouth. The thread fell from their mouth and they gasped, cracking their jaw as the scientist moved to the other one and cut through their threads as well.

”I have a job for you. Take this key. Go down into the holding cells and free them all. Bring them here! And make haste! Avoid everyone on the way.” He turned back to the trembling elders.

”What are you planning, vile creature? To force them to watch! What a grotesque-.” The scientist grabbed a small hammer and broke their chains. “Oh.”

”You must be quiet. Here, take a hammer. Gather any heavy tool you can. Smash everything!” SkekTek turned from the gawking old gelfling and freed the others in a similar fashion.

They all gathered any heavy implement they could find and started wailing on the machine. Although the elders were extremely confused, they wouldn’t question the Skeksis or his motivations.

The two greunaks returned with the others, the fighters putting up quite a bit of a fight. One ran straight up to SkekTek and kicked him in the shin.

He squawked and dropped the hammer he held, rubbing his aching leg.

”I will never let you take my essence! It is mine and Thra’s, not some old birds!” She was a stonewood gelfling, brown hair braided in long fishtails and burning eyes. She was practically snarling.

”I don’t want your stupid essence, gelfling! If you had any intelligence at all, you would realize that I’m trying to help you fools!” She took a pause from that.

It was at that moment she finally took in her surroundings properly. The other gelflings smashing the damn machine that would have stolen her essence, the unsewn mouths of the greunaks, even the living elders.

”Oh.” SkekTek scoffed.

”’Oh,’ indeed. Suck a furious kick from such a small gelfling.” She bristled at him but didn’t respond.

He hobbled over your the greatest just outside of his chambers. It led into the underground tunnels.

”That is quite enough! We don’t want them thinking it _wasn’t_ gelflings who destroyed it.” He struggled with the grate for a moment, pulling up the heavy metal slowly.

”Greunaks, I have one last job for you. Earn you freedom. Lead the gelflings out of the city, as far away as you can. I’ll handle the others.” The warriors stood protectively in front of the elders and childlings. The girl stood at the head, apparently the unofficial leader.

”Why should we trust you? You could be leading us into a trap! We are never to trust Skeksis.” SkekTek huffed and affixed his one good eyes onto her, leaning down to her height.

”Think about it little gelfling! If I wanted you dead, I would have harvested your essence! I gain nothing from trickery. I have you all right now.” He flicked her forehead.

That seemed to be enough to convince the others, and they all followed the greunaks down into the tunnels. She was the last one left.   
  


She seemed wary of it, staring down at the hole with nervous eyes. She gulped, steeled her nerves, and started to go down.

“Wait!” SkekTek held her shoulder. He felt her tense. “I need you to do something for me.” She whipped around, a snarl already pulling her features.

” What vile deed do you require of me, _skeksis_?” She practically spat the word. “Foot rub, a tasty meal? Or perhaps indentured servitude for the rest of my days.”

He blinked. “I need you to take my little friend with you.”

She looked on in confusion as he walked slowly to the tiny cage hung from the ceiling. It held a tiny fluff ball of a bird, barely bigger that the skeksis’ palm.

He murmured to the little guy, encouraging it by saying “it was alrighty” and “there is nothing to be afraid of.”  
  


“He is dear to me. Please, take him away from this place. I fear he may die to the hands of my brethren.” The small warrior took the small puffball gently into her arms. She was shocked. A skeksis? Showing kindness? It was unheard of! And the heartbroken look in his eyes, she almost believed it was genuine.

”Ferra.” The scientist hummed.

”That’s my name. If you truly are good now, and you truly care for this little friend of yours, then leave. Prove it and come fight for the gelflings. Come find your friend.” 

He blinked.

”Thank you, Ferra. I shall try, but I do not know if I’ll make it. I’ll surely be killed on the spot.” SkekTek thought for a moment.

“There is one other skeksis that may be useful in this fight. The heretic, SkekGra. I believe the one named Rian may know him.” Ferra nodded. Such a brave and wise warrior. He ushered her into the hole, closing it with a loud clang.

He sighed. _Now, time to release the rest._

_~~~~~~~~_ ~

His little beasts running amok in the castle were the perfect distraction. He could run off to stone wood, perhaps. Meet up with Ferra and his little friend.

That is, if they accepted him. He was a skeksis after all. He had killed many of their score before today, why would they forgive him now.

Either way, that was the only place he had left. He opened the grate to the underground. It was much easier this time.

“SkekTek going?” He spun around. The chamberlain.

”Yes, I cannot stay. This mockery of immortality does not suit me. You’d rather use it for selfish reasons than any good thing. I will be apart of it no longer.” SkekSil hummed.

”Yes, but SkekTek is evil. Bad skeksis. Gelfling do not like. Will try to kill. Besides, skeksis change? No, we will always be bad. In our nature.”

SkekTek’s throat clenched. Of course he had. He had been evil, and he still was. A little. But that could change with time, right? He shook his head.

”If the Heretic changed then so can I!” And with that he was off, running into the dark twilight with the clothes off his back and a name. _Ferra_.

He only carried a small dagger, barely protected as he had to leave most of his heavier armor in his chambers. It would only slow him down, and the dangers of the land may catch him if he were too slow.

The chamberlain just hummed again. This could be advantageous to him. If he presented this information to Emperor SkekSo before anyone else, he would be praised for it. A hero of skeksis.   
  


But he would wait. First, he wanted to see. See if the scientist would really turn, or would lead the gelfling right into a trap.

Of course, skeksis can’t be good.

Right?


	2. A long way down the path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SkekTek finally got some damn sense, but the scars still linger. Also, to clarify, I made up Ferra. I had completely forgotten the stonewood Maudra was named Ferra😂 I just picked a random name. Anyway, it is now the Maudra, sooooo yeah haha

“You say a Skeksis saved you?” Brea walked along side Maudra Ferra, the childling as curious as ever.

”Yes, specifically SkekTek.” Ferra 

Brea gasped.

”SkekTek? The-the-But he was the one who built the device!”

The Maudra nodded.

”Yes, and I saw him destroy it with my own eyes.” The little sidetic in her arms chirped and she smiled. She stroked its head.

The residents of stonewood had been rushing around for the past three days making preparations for their return and the ensuing battle.

The tale of SkekTek’s change of heart had spread through the clan. Most reacted with skepticism, suspecting that the scientist was somehow tracking them. The more bullheaded ones had even suggested that the small fuzz ball currently nuzzling into her arms was his spy.

That was a heated debate to be sure. They argued for hours, going so far as to suggest to kill the poor creature.

_”No harm shall come to this sidetic! I made a promise, and I intend to keep it.”_

_”Maudra Ferra, please listen to reason. Skeksis are no good, vile creatures. They only wish for our demise. Let us rid ourselves of the spy!”_

_Maudra fixed a steely gaze upon that one, his green eyes tilting down in fear. He was the one who started all this. Bier._

_”And what of SkekGra, The Heretic? He lives with his other half, the wanderer, in the crystal desert. Is he bad?”_

_The gelfling sputtered. “Well-I mean...He’s never done anything for us! He has never even come out of his hovel to aid us against the Skeksis!”_

Maudra came up with a plan then, and after a stern talking to with Bier, she discussed it with Rian.

A loud ruckus alerted the two royalty to a group that had formed to the edge of the clearing, near the forest.

There was some screaming, shouting at the thing. A couple warriors ran over, drawing their swords against...a Skeksis!

The Skeksis was immensely tall, taller than all the others. And slim, covered in long flowing red and beige robes. One hung around his neck, looking more like a bandage than a part of his outfit.

On his back he carried the wanderer, urGoh. The Skeksis seemed to be chattering away with them, filling in the slower ones’ replies with their own.

”Hello gelflings! I am SkekGra, the Heretic! And this is my other half, urGoh!” He seemed far too happy to be labeled a heretic, waving around his staff like a windmill.

”Stand down! Everyone, put your weapons away, they are our guests.” The heretic placed their other half safely on the ground, then bowed low.

”Maudra! Nice to see you! It has been so long since I’ve been to the land that grows.” He blinked. “It’s _green_!”

Maudra gulped at his enthusiasm.

”The pleasure is all mine. I believe you know Rian?” The gelfling had been summoned by the ruckus.

”Of course I know Rian! How was our opera? Entertaining?” Rain laughed at his eagerness. He was enthusiastic, but nice. A refreshing difference from the others of his kind.

“Yes! It was very...informative.” In truth he had been close to falling asleep until they mentioned the dual glaive. SkekGra nodded. 

Suddenly, a loud rustling erupted from the bushes on the far side of the clearing. Warriors took position in rows, protecting any nearby children and elders with their long swords. urGoh tugged on SkekGra’s sleeve, whispering something to the Skeksis. They whispered back. For a few moments they stayed locked in a barely perceptible argument.

Then, SkekGra swept in front of the Maudra. Their staff fell to the side and their hand dipped into the long robes. A long gleaming sword emerged, old and worn at the handle.

”I may be old, but I can still fight! Yes, the conqueror may be no more but I am more than they ever were! Come at me!” What, or rather who, burst out of the bushes next was a big surprise.

  
~~~~~~~  
  
The night stretched through the sky and twisted the path ahead, SkekTek having to take shelter lest he be lost in the darkness.

Three days ago he had left his home. And in those three days, he had lost his way seven times.

It was frustrating. He could normally rely on the others for help, and never had to traverse the land. Only on special occasions, when the child of a Maudra was born.

He sighed. The small fire before him currently roasted a small pile of rotten potatoes and scraps of meat a hunter had left behind.

Speaking of hunters...

”If that foolish SkekSil tells the others, and they will, the hunter will surely be sent after me!” It was true that even without the cumbersome armor, Skeksis were very intimidating in size. And without the heaviness of his makeshift carapace SkekTek might have been able to take on an arathim alone, SkekMal was far more ruthless. The strongest of their number, fiercely motivated by the forever hunt.

A rustle in the nearby leaves had the scientist’s heart beating fast, his head on a swivel. The small light from his replacement ocular shone on a fuzzy worm crawling across the ground.

SkekTek hissed at the thing. It ignored him, the small fuzz all in a world of its own.

He grumbled and stirred the potatoes around, taking a hesitant bite. _Disgusting, but edible._

As he demolished his meager meal, he thought about what he would do next. He had lived with the others his whole life, and while he didn’t like what they were doing to the gelfling, it was hard to be so independent.

”I miss the sidetic.” It was true. The little friend of his was the only comfort he had from the Skeksis he shared a castle with. Even at his weakest, when he was beaten and heckled, the little fuzz ball had nuzzled his finger and chirped.

SkekTek shivered as a gust of particularly cold wind blew through the air, snuffing out his fire. _Dammit._

More rustling came from the bushes across the way, behind a gnarled looking grey tree. He rolled his one good eye and stalked over, getting down on all fours with the intent of throwing the worm a ways away.

SkekTek held the hanging moss and leaves apart like curtains. He expected a fuzzy ball of squirming. What he didn’t expect was to be tossed quite a few feet away by the smack of an arathim leg.

His head hit the ground hard, his vision becoming hazy. The scientist could only watch as the creature skittered over, unable to move. He was gasping for breath, the hit being centered on his now aching chest.

He could only wait and prey that his struggling arms might stop shaking for a second, only a moment, to allow him a chance to strike. Maybe even to run.

The arathim hissed, bringing one claw down hard on his outstretched hand. The Skeksis shrieked, blood oozing from the open wound. He swiped at its eyes with his other hand, his middle claw snagging on one eye and taking it with him.

The arathim jumped away and hissed, calling its brethren for back up. A surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins, and he shot off like a rocket on all four.

He ran blindly, panicked. The trees of the great forest whizzed past as a cacophony of snarling followed him, the clicking of claws right on his long tail.

SkekTek dove left, then right, crawling over rocks and sliding under thick roots. The distance between him and the ravenous crowd began to increase, and with that his hope rose as well.

_Pathetic. They cannot keep up with even the weakest Skeksis! They are poor hun-_

He crashed through the bushes, landing face first in an open field.

He gathered himself off of the ground, still hunched over on four legs. SkekTek spun his head all around, relieved to see only gelflings of the stonewood. He had made it, and not a single arathim in sight.

But there was one oddity. A certain someone by the name of SkekGra, pointing one long claw at him.

”You?! What are you doing here, SkekTek?” The scientist just gaped.

”I should say the same! You never leave your precious desert!” They scoffed.

”I should say the same to you! Cooped up in your little hole. You’re liable to lose your own head!” They tapped the screw in their skull. “Hey! Why is your eye mechanical!”

SkekTek rolled his eyes and stood to his full height, dusting off as much dirt and mud as he could.

”Peeper beetle, sand for brains.”

SkekGra hissed, but refrained from any scathing remarks. “I hear you abandoned the others. How’s fugitive life treating you.”

The scientist was going to reply, truly he was. But before he could he ended up in the same position as before. On the floor with blurry vision, a wheezing coming from his lungs, and a pain in his chest. The only difference was the claw imbedded in his side.

” _Run_!” He choked out, scrabbling at the exoskeleton of the creature. He could feel the warmth spreading over his side. _I have outlived my usefulness, this must be where it all ends. And what use would I have been? Skeksis can’t change._

Instead of abandoning him, they came to his aid. The warriors rushed on the arathim, stabbing it on all sides and trying to drive it back into the brush. SkekGra dealt the final blow, slicing a leg off the beast before it whined and skittered off, the sound of its thudding claws disappearing into the distance.

  
~~~~~~~~~

SkekTek couldn’t remember much after that. He remembered a long period of pain and weightlessness, of tightening and fighting off whatever was squeezing him so hard it hurt so bad please _stop-_

He had awoken here, inside of a hollowed out tree. Holes perforated the sturdy bark, letting in golden light that covered the floor in patches.

The bandage wrapped tight around his middle, that must have been the squeezing. His hand, too. They had patched him up? Why?

”All beings deserve a second chance, SkekTek.” Maudra Ferra stood off to the side, holding a little squirming fluffball.

”Sidetic! You kept him safe!” She brought his friend over, noting how gentle the Skeksis was with the small creature. He let him sniff at his hand before letting it climb onto his palm of its own will.

”I missed you, so much.” He seemed peaceful with the puffball, stroking its head and smiling fondly as it chirped.

“I’ll leave you two alone. But I expect your full attention at our discussion later.” SkekTek nodded at the gelfling, going stiff at her stern tone. Usually that meant he would be given a punishment. He had failed them, after all. _Leading an arathim to them was not good, not good at all. Skeksis who fail themselves fail everyone, and those Skeksis must be punished._

He sighed. He would deal with that when the time came. Right now, all he felt was elation. The past few days had been empty and somber without his little friend.

”Excuse me? Mister SkekTek?” He whipped his head around.

”Gelfling! Don’t sneak up on me like that. What is it?” He snapped. He took deep breaths, trying to slow his rapidly beating heart. The gelfling had scared him. As soon as she spoke, the poor scientist expected to be smacked.

The childling flinched.

”I’m sorry, but I wanted to speak with you. You see, nobody believes a Skeksis can be good. And yet, here you are, and here is SkekGra!” She sighed. “I don’t understand why they don’t see? Everyone can change!”

”What is your name, gelfling?”

”Brea.” She jumped at his sudden cackling, growing slightly worried as he coughed at the end.

”So you are the one SkekOk was so enthusiastic about!Wouldn’t shut his beak, you know. I can see why, you both have an affinity for questions and seeking out answers, even if it means butting into other people’s time.” Brea started to apologize but he just waved her off.

”I know you need an answer to your question, and I know you have another question you are not asking. It is about our dear scroll-keeper, isn’t it?” Brea hesitated under his half-mechanical gaze.  
  


“Yes, my lord. He’s an intelligent Skeksis, and with his expansive knowledge he must know so much that could do good. I don’t understand why he stays so cruel.”

SkekTek hummed.

”You know, he is a coward. Like me he is afraid. But fear is strange. It can change just as quickly as the wind. I remember many trines ago, the emperor threatened to burn all the books dating past a time when the Skeksis ruled! Ha! His fear over that almost made him _strike_ the emperor!“ Brea gasped as the Skeksis chuckled at the memory.

”There is hope, I suppose. Although I doubt he’d be useful. He is not a fighter, and neither am I.”

Brea burrowed her brow.

”SkekTek, saving you was not in the hope that you would do something for us. It was in the hope that we could help.” He turned his eyes to her, still keeping his head turned away. He looked doubtful.

”I hope you will learn that, or at least come to accept it someday.” The scientist watched the little childling leave, feeling a mix of confusion and guilt.

He was a Skeksis. He was bad, and he had betrayed everyone. The only person unharmed by him was the sidetic, and even then it was indirect.

SkekTek sighed. This would be an adjustment.


End file.
